Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14372
Nato tow hitch - emergency tow adapter
Following on from a spate of breakdowns ( ) after a recent engine swap , a big issue has been the NATO tow hitch on my trailer
None of the recovery firms have the facilitiy to tow it ( apart from on a low loader )
This idea was suggested on my last breakdown in Scotland , were I ended up unable to use my trailer for my holiday
Simple enough I thought .. but in reality iv not got a tow ball 2 feet high ( and remember this is to be able to tow my trailer with a normal height towbar !)
So this is how far out they are
Center line heights
NATO ring - 24 "
Holder under NATO ring - 22"
Tow ball - 16"
So a grand total of 8 " difference in height
I can allow for a bit of nose down height .. but not 8"
If I did something like this .. would it be strong enough ?
Or has any one got any ideas / suggestions to overcome this issue
TaG4 Gone ...but not forgotten
23rd May 2017 8:38 pm
JackNorris
Member Since: 06 Jul 2012
Location: Beds/Bucks Border
Posts: 1879
Just throwing this one out there, what about permanently adopting the trailer to a lower hitch height like done before? Still keep nato hitch but easier to adapt?MY2023 Discovery 5 R-Dynamic 3.0
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23rd May 2017 8:48 pm
Deerfold
Member Since: 07 May 2017
Location: Radnorshire
Posts: 99
Hello,
What I have done is to remove the ring/plunger shaft which on my trailer is 45mm o/d and had an engineer friend machine me a new plunger (out of solid chromed 45mm bar) but with 2 holes at the receiver/ring end to take an E marked Knott NATO bolt on ring hitch. I carry a 50mm ball hitch of the same bolt pattern and in an emergency for 2 bolts and I can be rescued!! It does help a little that my trailer has a stepped drawbar, but a friend has done the same on a standard sankey and it gets him home!
23rd May 2017 9:09 pm
Soldierboy
Member Since: 27 Jan 2016
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Smaller alloys? May give you a few inches to reduce the step downGod created heavy armour on 06 sept 1916, on the 7th the devil stood to attention!
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23rd May 2017 9:46 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14372
JackNorris wrote:
Just throwing this one out there, what about permanently adopting the trailer to a lower hitch height like done before? Still keep nato hitch but easier to adapt?
Rather keep the sankey nato hitch the same height ... coupled with uncle Rays tow hitch it tows like a dream G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
23rd May 2017 9:47 pm
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14372
Deerfold wrote:
Hello,
What I have done is to remove the ring/plunger shaft which on my trailer is 45mm o/d and had an engineer friend machine me a new plunger (out of solid chromed 45mm bar) but with 2 holes at the receiver/ring end to take an E marked Knott NATO bolt on ring hitch. I carry a 50mm ball hitch of the same bolt pattern and in an emergency for 2 bolts and I can be rescued!! It does help a little that my trailer has a stepped drawbar, but a friend has done the same on a standard sankey and it gets him home!
This might be too complicated to be practical but one could build a dolly that hitches to a 50mm towball. On the dolly would be a frame that carried a NATO hitch at the appropriate height. The Sankey (or whatever) would then become a four wheel draw bar trailer. These used to be subject to a 30mph speed limit but one sees them nowadays frequently travelling at much higher speeds.A vaccine does not stop you catching a virus, or passing it on, or getting ill from it, really ill. It does reduce the likelyhood of you dying when really, really ill. Stay Alive - KEEP AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
24th May 2017 7:53 am
SHARKYSHARKS
Member Since: 20 Dec 2008
Location: Saddleworth Oldham
Posts: 1954
Adrian if this is purely for a recovery truck use in case of breakdown?
Would the height to your D4 matter because you can adjust the height on a recovery truck tow hook ! you just need the NATO ring to ball coupling conversion to keep with you just in case ?MY18 D5 HSE LUX😎
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24th May 2017 8:36 am
Moo D3 Decade
Member Since: 13 Aug 2010
Location: UK
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Wouldn't it be easier to do something like this?
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Could you not rotate the tow hitch in the receiver by 180 degrees and then put the tow ball back on? It might not give you 8" but might take you some of the way there?
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Scrap that. Just re-read your post Front Runner Rack, OEM Ladder & RAI, Tuff-Trek Foxwing, B'rakhah Ingonyama Expedition Trailer, RLD's Spare Wheel Protector, Bodsy's Bars, Empty Pockets! Member of Gloucestershire & Worcestershire 4x4 Response.
24th May 2017 9:01 am
Iguana
Member Since: 14 Oct 2013
Location: 'Sunny' Zomerset
Posts: 9424
Simon (Sailorboy), extended his hitch and converted to std hitch, the extension helped with the height Iggy/Ieuan
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if it's for recovery only ... what's the OTHER end of the trailer like ? could you bolt something to chasis there that could take a standard tow socket?.
Dean
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24th May 2017 9:45 am
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14372
SHARKYSHARKS wrote:
Adrian if this is purely for a recovery truck use in case of breakdown?
Would the height to your D4 matter because you can adjust the height on a recovery truck tow hook ! you just need the NATO ring to ball coupling conversion to keep with you just in case ?
Dave , its more for me to use a hire car to continue my journey with the trailer
if the trailer needed recovering , they would just put it on a flat bedG4 Gone ...but not forgotten
24th May 2017 11:58 am
wiggs
Member Since: 03 Sep 2006
Location: Manchester
Posts: 14372
Navigator wrote:
This might be too complicated to be practical but one could build a dolly that hitches to a 50mm towball. On the dolly would be a frame that carried a NATO hitch at the appropriate height. The Sankey (or whatever) would then become a four wheel draw bar trailer. These used to be subject to a 30mph speed limit but one sees them nowadays frequently travelling at much higher speeds.
trying to keep this as portable as poss...but good idea though G4 Gone ...but not forgotten
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
) after a recent engine swap , a big issue has been the NATO tow hitch on my trailer
